Part 9

Anne received a phone call and quietly stepped out of the noisy restaurant, leaving me alone at the table. As I sat there, I noticed the sun setting behind the mountains, casting a warm, golden hue over the landscape. It was a breathtaking sight, the kind that made you forget everything else for a moment.People were coming and going from the restaurant, their chatter blending into the background. I turned my gaze to the ceiling-high window, admiring the sunset. That's when I noticed something moving around the trees. At first, I dismissed it as a dog or maybe some animal, but then a shadowy figure emerged from the trees. It was a silhouette of a man, but his face was hidden in the shadows.The clouds were turning a dark grey as the sun dipped lower, and the evening's darkness began to settle in. The figure seemed to be looking straight at me. A chill ran down my spine, and I tried to look away, but my curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to see who—or what—this was.I stood up and quietly stepped out of the restaurant. Anne was nowhere in sight. I glanced back toward the trees where the figure stood, but he remained just out of clear view, shrouded in shadows. The air felt colder, and the eerie silence around me made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.Despite the unease bubbling inside me, I found myself inching closer to the trees, compelled by an urge I couldn't explain."Who's there?" I asked quietly, taking a cautious step toward the shadowy figure. The moonlight shifted, revealing his face. The sharp lines of his jaw were unmistakable, and his features looked almost flawless under the pale light."John..." I trailed off, recognizing him immediately. His face was expressionless, his eyes fixed on me with a cold intensity that made me shiver."What are you doing here? Are you stalking me?" I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my voice."Huh! Don't flatter yourself," he responded sarcastically, a smirk playing on his lips."What are you doing here?" he shot back, his tone challenging."I came for dinner with Anne," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. But something about his presence felt wrong. There was an unsettling energy in the air, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.John and I had never gotten along. He either ignored me like I didn't exist or glared at me whenever our paths crossed. Lately, he seemed to be around more often, his presence unsettling me more each time. The last thing I wanted was to get into a confrontation with him, especially not tonight.I took a step back, deciding it was best to head back inside the restaurant. But as I moved away, I couldn't help but feel his eyes boring into me, like he was trying to see right through me. It made my skin crawl."I know where William is," John's voice stopped me in my tracks, a chill running down my spine."What?" I asked again, just to make sure I hadn't misheard."Do you even remember William, or have you already forgotten him and moved on with your plaything?" he sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm."Excuse me! What is your problem with me, John?" I snapped, sending a hateful glare his way. "I don't get why you hate me so much when I've done nothing to you. You're always getting on my nerves. When I asked about William before, you said hurtful things, and now you're bringing him up again." My voice was laced with irritation. His silence only fueled my anger. I just couldn't stand him."Are you bipolar or something?" I continued, frustration bubbling over. "You don't like talking to me, and my presence seems to anger you, yet you're always there, wherever I go. You even went behind my back to ask Anne about me—my likes, dislikes, and all that crap. What do you want from me, John? Just spill it already," I demanded in one breath, my heart racing with both anger and confusion.John stood silently for a moment, his gaze shifting anywhere but toward me, seemingly taken aback by my outburst. I was beyond frustrated with him and his constant mixed signals."Anyway, forget it," I muttered, brushing past him. "It's not like you'll ever answer my questions.""Wait!" he called out, grabbing my arm roughly. My pulse quickened as I turned to glare at him, and he quickly released my arm."I don't hate you," he said, his voice softer now. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you. It's not your fault; it's mine. A lot has happened recently that's kept me on edge. William suddenly vanished, leaving me to clean up his mess. I was annoyed, angry, and didn't know how to deal with it. I blamed you when you did nothing wrong, and I'm sorry about that." He looked down at his feet, his voice filled with regret.I took a couple of steps back, trying to process his words. Is he really apologizing to me? It felt so out of character for him. Maybe he is bipolar, I thought, shaking my head in disbelief. I turned away, running my hands through my hair, conflicted. I could tell he was trying to reach out to me, but I just couldn't bring myself to trust him. Something about the situation still felt off, and I wasn't sure if I could ever let my guard down around him."William came back and asked me to find you," John continued, his voice low and serious. "He wants me to bring you to him. That's why I came to meet you here."My breath hitched. "How did you know I was here?" I asked, glancing nervously toward the restaurant."I was on my way to your house," he replied, trying to sound casual. "I saw you leaving with your aunt, so I just followed you." He offered a sheepish smile as if trying to lighten the mood.Bipolar, I thought again, trying to make sense of his behaviour."Okay, tell him I'll meet him at school tomorrow," I said, trying to mask the suspicion in my voice. "I should head back—Anne must be waiting for me."But just as I was about to turn away, a sudden gust of wind swept past me, and the beautiful waitress from earlier appeared by John's side with an almost unnatural grace. My eyes widened in disbelief. Wait a minute, how did she do that?Something about her presence made my heart race. I felt a shiver crawl down my spine as I tried to piece together what was happening. This was no ordinary encounter, and the more I looked at John and the waitress, the more I realized that there was something far more unsettling going on.They stood side by side, their eyes locked on me with an intensity that made my heart race. Something was definitely off. The way John had behaved, his sudden apology—it all felt too strange, too forced."What is going on?" I asked, taking a few more steps back, ready to flee if I had to."William wants to see you now. We came to pick you up," the girl replied, her voice unnervingly calm."Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. The girl just rolled her eyes and flicked her fingers dismissively.A cold shiver ran down my spine as I felt an unknown sensation crawl through my bones. My hands started to shake, and fear gripped me tightly."I warned you, John," she said, her tone dripping with annoyance. "I told you to go easy on her, but you didn't listen. Now look, she doesn't trust you."She then turned her gaze to me, her eyes narrowing. "Now I must force her to come."My blood ran cold. I froze in place, unable to move. Her eyes shifted to a weird shade of purple, glowing faintly in the dim light. They were hypnotizing, pulling me in. I tried to blink, to look away, but I couldn't break the eye contact.A sinking feeling settled deep in my stomach as I stared at her, utterly consumed by an uncontrollable fear. The world around me seemed to fade, leaving only her eyes—those terrifying, purple eyes—filling my vision. I could feel the icy grip of terror taking hold, and I knew in that moment, I was in serious danger.She gripped my hand, her eyes now glowing a terrifying shade of red, like burning rubies. "You are going to follow me quietly," she commanded, her voice slicing through the air like a blade. A cold chill ran down my spine as I struggled to speak, my voice trapped in my throat. Then, out of nowhere, a strange vibrating sensation tugged at the back of my head, and suddenly, my voice came out—but it wasn't my voice."I will follow you quietly," I heard myself say, the words feeling foreign as if they didn't belong to me. Panic surged through me. How did she make me say that? I didn't want to follow her. I wanted to run, to scream, but I couldn't."Good girl. Now keep your head down and follow me," she ordered, her tone dripping with satisfaction as she turned and began walking towards the woods.My legs moved mechanically, following her without my consent. Each step felt like a betrayal as I was dragged deeper into the unknown. My mind raced, trying to figure out what was happening. I knew that girl had done something to me, some kind of mind control. And John—he was in on it, too.I wanted to scream at him, to demand answers, but I was trapped inside my own body, helpless. My thoughts grew more frantic as the dark outline of the woods loomed closer. Where were they taking me? What did they want with me?The deeper we went into the shadows, the stronger the sense of dread became. I felt completely powerless, a puppet on strings, forced to obey their every command.My body kept moving forward, my feet crunching the leaves underfoot as we ventured deeper into the dark woods. Panic clawed at me from the inside, but my limbs wouldn't obey my desperate desire to turn and flee. I was trapped in this unnatural trance, helpless to stop myself.Minutes passed, and I found myself sinking further into despair, my mind racing in circles as I tried to think of a way out. But nothing worked—my feet continued their march behind the girl with the ruby-red eyes, and John, who walked silently beside her, as though we were in some kind of twisted parade.Then, out of nowhere, I heard it—a faint, distant voice echoing in my head, barely a whisper but unmistakably familiar. Kristen! The voice called to me, urgent and full of desperation. Don't follow him. Fight back!I wanted to scream, to respond somehow, but my lips wouldn't move. The voice grew stronger, closer, as if someone were right beside me, whispering into my ear. Please...! it pleaded again, this time so close that I jumped, snapping my head to the side, expecting to see someone standing there.But there was nothing—just the dark, silent woods.My heart pounded wildly, and the voice was still echoing in my mind. It was a small glimmer of hope in the suffocating darkness, urging me to fight and resist whatever was controlling me. I tried to focus on the voice, willing it to help me break free from the trance that held me captive.Resist it. The voice urged again, and I clung to its words like a lifeline. I tried to muster every ounce of strength, focussing all my energy on stopping my feet, forcing them to stop moving.But it was like trying to move a mountain with my mind. My body wouldn't listen, wouldn't stop, as if it no longer belonged to me. Panic surged again, but I couldn't let it consume me. I had to fight back, even if it felt impossible. I had to try, for the voice, for myself.As I struggled, a small flicker of resistance sparked within me—a tiny crack in the control they had over me. It wasn't much, but it was something. I focused harder, trying to widen that crack and break free from the invisible chains that bound me.Stanley's voice was a lifeline, cutting through the darkness that clouded my mind. His words echoed in my head, pushing me to focus and fight against the compulsion that held me prisoner. I took a deep breath, trying to centre myself despite the panic that still fluttered in my chest."Focus, Kristen. Find the wall in your mind, and break it down," Stanley urged again, his voice strong and reassuring.I closed my eyes, even though I was already surrounded by darkness. I imagined the inside of my mind as a vast, shadowy space, with thick, impenetrable walls surrounding me. These walls were the compulsion, the force that controlled my every move. I had to break them and push through, no matter how impossible it seemed.I could feel my feet still moving forward, step after step, but I tried to block out the sensation, concentrating solely on the mental image of those walls. They were high and daunting, but I couldn't let that stop me."You can do this," Stanley's voice whispered, giving me the strength to keep going.I envisioned myself gathering all my energy, every bit of strength I had left, and slamming it into the wall in my mind. At first, it didn't seem to make a difference—the wall stood firm, unyielding. But I didn't stop. I kept pushing, and I kept attacking it with everything I had.A small crack appeared in the wall. It was tiny, almost insignificant, but it was there. I felt a surge of hope and redoubled my efforts, imagining the crack growing wider, spreading like a web across the surface of the wall."Yes, Kristen! Keep going!" Stanley encouraged his voice to be a beacon of light in the darkness.I focused harder, pouring all my willpower into that crack, willing it to expand, and shatter the wall completely. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline fuelling my determination. The crack widened, and suddenly, with a mental force I didn't know I possessed, the wall in my mind crumbled.I gasped as the compulsion snapped, my feet coming to a halt. I was free.My eyes flew open, and I was back in the dark woods, with John and the waitress still ahead of me. They hadn't noticed I had stopped yet, too engrossed in their conversation. I had only a moment before they realised something was wrong."Stanley, I did it!" I whispered it in my mind, barely able to believe it."Good job, Kristen. Now, get out of there," Stanley replied urgently.Without wasting another second, I turned on my heel and sprinted back towards the restaurant, my heart racing. I didn't know how far I'd get before they noticed, but I wasn't going to stick around to find out. I had to escape before they could put me back under their control.As I sprinted into the darkness, the adrenaline pumping through my veins drowned out the pain from my fall. My heart raced with each step, pounding in my ears, but I couldn't let fear slow me down. The yells behind me grew fainter as I put more distance between us, but I knew they wouldn't stop chasing me."Keep running, Kristen! Don't look back!" Stanley's voice urged in my mind, his tone filled with urgency.The forest seemed endless, with every tree and shadow blending into one another, making it hard to navigate. My breath came in ragged gasps, my lungs burning as I pushed myself to keep going. I couldn't afford to stop, not even for a second. My life depended on it.I tripped over a hidden root, almost losing my balance, but I caught myself just in time. The fear of being caught was like a weight in my chest, but I had to focus on getting away. I needed a place to hide, somewhere they wouldn't find me.I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and crunching leaves underfoot. My pulse quickened and the terror almost paralysed me. I held my breath, praying they wouldn't find me.The footsteps stopped, and I could hear them talking in hushed tones. They were so close that I could hear their breathing, and feel their presence just beyond the bushes. My fingers dug into the dirt, the cold earth grounding me as I waited in absolute stillness."Where is she?" John's voice was sharp, frustrated."She couldn't have gone far," the girl replied, her voice filled with anger.For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, I heard them moving again, their footsteps fading as they continued searching elsewhere. I didn't dare move, not yet. I waited, straining to hear any sound that might signal they were still nearby.I quickly came up with a plan to take them off guard and attack them. There was a broken tree root near my foot, without wasting another second, I picked it up, smacked her head from behind, and swung the log, targeting John. He caught my hand before the blow made an impact and pushed me with force. I fell on my ass a few steps back.The girl stumbled to her feet and cried in pain. At least I managed to harm one. I surveyed my surroundings, but I could see nothing but darkness. I ran in the opposite direction when I heard the yelling.His lips curl into a lazy smile, and I can see the amusement flickering in his eyes as he turns to face me. Without wasting another second, I jumped to my feet and started running."That bitch. How did she break my spell?" I heard the waitress say. Her tone was laced with anger and confusion.I ran as far as I could before an invisible force stopped me. I couldn't move my legs when I saw her loom over me. My feet froze in horror. She looked like she would kill me if I took another step. Her gaze was challenging me.My hands shook by my side, coldness seeping into my pores."You can't run." The woman said:."Who are you? How did you make me follow you?" I demanded, taking several steps away from her.She tilted her head, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "I could ask you the same thing. How did you break my spell?"She didn't advance; instead, she seemed to be enveloped by an ominous shadow that persisted even in the dim light. I had no idea how I managed to resist her control."Please don't kill me," I begged, my voice trembling with fear. I glanced helplessly at John, hoping for some form of assistance, though deep down I knew he was as much a part of this as she was. John remained silent, his expression one of muted distress, as if my words had struck him deeply."We're not going to kill you," she said, her voice smooth and unsettlingly calm."What do you want from me?" My voice quavered, and the adrenaline surging through me made my legs feel like lead.She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then raised her hand and uttered a series of words in a language I didn't recognise. The shadow around her flickered and shifted, its movements ghostly and disorienting. My heart raced, lodged in my throat.As she drew closer, she placed her finger on my forehead. An intense, searing pain shot through my head, as if my skull were being crushed. I screamed; the pain overwhelmed me before everything went black.